List of the Current Catholic Dioceses in Nigeria and their dates of creation/erection.

By Fr. Henry Charles Umelechi

Each Catholic Metropolitan province contains an Archdiocese and suffragan diocese(s). An archdiocese is referred to as a metropolitan see or the “head” diocese of an ecclesiastical province: the “primus inter pares,” the first among the dioceses in a province. For example, the Archdiocese of Onitsha is the Metropolitan See for the Province of Onitsha, which includes Archdiocese of Onitsha itself and the suffragan dioceses of Abakaliki, Aguleri , Awgu, Awka, Ekwulobia and other three dioceses.

The suffragan dioceses are those dioceses under the leadership of the Archdiocese.

Currently, there are 60 Catholic dioceses in Nigeria which includes one eparchy, in 9 Ecclesiastical provinces with 9 Metropolitan Archdioceses:

✓Metropolitan Archdiocese of Abuja(8)
Historical Details:
Erected as an Independent Mission: 6 November 1981
Elevated to a Diocese: 19 June 1989
Elevated to an Archdiocese: 26 March 1994

Suffragan Dioceses:
*Diocese of Gboko ( 29 December 2012)
*Diocese of Idah (17 December 1977)
*Diocese of Katsina-Ala (29 December 2012)
*Diocese of Lafia (5 December 2000)
*Diocese of Lokoja( 5 May 1965)
*Diocese of Makurdi ( 28 June 1960)
*Diocese of Otukpo ( 10 July 1995)

✓Metropolitan Archdiocese of Benin(6)
Historical Details:
Erected as a Prefecture Apostolic of Upper Niger: 2 May 1884
Name changed to Prefecture Apostolic of Western Nigeria: 24 August 1911
Elevated to Vicariate Apostolic of Western Nigeria: 24 August 1918
Name changed to Vicariate Apostolic of Asaba-Benin: 12 January 1943
Elevated to a Diocese: 18 April 1950
Elevated to an Archdiocese: (26 March 1994)

Suffragan Dioceses:
*Auchi Diocese (4 December 2022)
*Bomadi Diocese (21 September 2017)
*Issele-Uku Diocese (5 July 1973)
*Uromi Diocese (14 December 2005)
*Warri Diocese (10 March 1964)

✓Metropolitan Archdiocese of Calabar (5)
Historical Details:
Erected as a Prefecture Apostolic of Calabar: 9 July 1934
Elevated to a Vicariate Apostolic of Calabar: 12 June 1947
Elevated to Diocese of Calabar: 18 April 1950
Elevated to an Archdiocese: 26 March 1994

Suffragan Dioceses:
*Ikot Ekpene Diocese (1 March 1963)
*Ogoja Diocese (1 January 1955)
*Port Harcourt Diocese (16 May 1961)
*Uyo Diocese(4 July 1989)

✓Metropolitan Archdiocese of Ibadan(6)
Historical Details:
Erected as a Prefecture Apostolic of Ibadan: 13 March 1952
Elevated to Diocese of Ibadan: 28 April 1958
Elevated to an Archdiocese: 26 March 1994

Suffragan Dioceses:
*Ekiti Diocese (11 December 1972)
*Ilorin Diocese (29 May 1969)
*Ondo Diocese (18 April 1950)
*Osogbo Diocese (3 March 1995)
*Oyo Diocese (18 January 1963)

✓Metropolitan Archdiocese of Jos(8)
Historical Details:
Erected as a Prefecture Apostolic of Jos: 9 April 1934
Elevated to Diocese of Jos: 29 June 1953
Elevated to an Archdiocese: 26 March 1994

Suffragan Dioceses:
*Bauchi Diocese (31 December 2003)
*Jalingo Diocese (3 February 1995)
*Maiduguri Diocese (7 June 1966)
*Pankshin Diocese (18 March 2014)
*Shendam Diocese (2 June 2007)
*Wukari Diocese (14 December 2022)
*Yola Diocese( 2 July 1962)

✓Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kaduna(8)
Historical Details:
Erected as a Prefecture Apostolic of Eastern Nigeria: 24 August 1911
Name changed to Prefecture Apostolic of Northern Nigeria: 18 July 1929
Elevated to Prefecture Apostolic of Kaduna: 9 April 1934
Elevated to Diocese of Kaduna: 29 June 1953
Elevated to an Archdiocese: 16 July 1959

Suffragan Dioceses:
*Kafanchan Diocese (10 July 1995)
*Kano Diocese (22nd June 1999)
*Kontagora Diocese (2nd April 2020)
*Minna Diocese (17 September 1973)
*Sokoto Diocese (16 June 1964)
*Zaria Diocese (5 December 2000)
*Katsina Diocese (16 October 2023)

✓Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lagos(3)
Historical Details:
Erected as Vicariate Apostolic of Dahomey: 28 August 1860
Name changed to Vicariate Apostolic of Costa di Benin: 24 August 1870
Name changed to Vicariate Apostolic of Lagos: 12 January 1943
Elevated to Archdiocese of Lagos: 18 April 1950

Suffragan Dioceses:
*Abeokuta Diocese (24 October 1997)
*Ijebu-Ode Diocese (29 May 1969)

✓Metropolitan Archdiocese of Onitsha(9)
Historical Details:
Erected as Prefecture Apostolic of Lower Niger: 25 July 1889
Elevated to Vicariate Apostolic of Southern Nigeria: 16 April 1920
Name changed to Vicariate Apostolic of Onitsha-Owerri: 9 July 1934
Split and became Vicariate Apostolic of Onitsha: 12 February 1948
Elevated to Archdiocese of Onitsha: 18 April 1950

Suffragan Dioceses:
*Abakaliki Diocese(1 March1973)
*Aguleri Diocese (12 February 2023)
*Awgu Diocese(8 July 2005)
*Awka Diocese (10 November 1977)
*Ekwulobia Diocese (5 March 2020)
*Enugu Diocese (12 November 1962)
*Nnewi Diocese (9 November 2001)
*Nsukka Diocese (19 November 1990)

✓Metropolitan Archdiocese of Owerri(6)
Historical Details:
Split from Onitsha as Vicariate Apostolic of Owerri: 12 February 1948
Elevated to Diocese of Owerri: 18 April 1950
Elevated to Archdiocese of Owerri: 26 March 1994

Suffragan Dioceses:
*Aba Diocese (2 April 1990)
*Ahiara Diocese (18 November 1987)
*Okigwe Diocese (24th January 1981)
*Orlu Diocese (29 November 1980)
*Umuahia Diocese (23 June 1958)

✓Our Lady of the Annunciation at Ibadan (Annunciazione) (Maronite) (Eparchy)(28 February 2018).

✓Summary
From the first erection for mission either as a Vicariate Apostolic, Prefecture Apostolic, or as an Independent Mission, the Archdiocese of Lagos is the first (1860), followed by the Archdiocese of Benin (1884), then comes Archdiocese of Onitsha (1889), Archdiocese of Kaduna (1911), Archdioceses of Jos and Calabar(1934 respectively), Archdiocese of Owerri (1948), Archdiocese of Ibadan(1952) and Archdiocese of Abuja(1981).

The Archdioceses of Lagos and Onitsha are the two oldest dioceses, elevated to archdioceses on the same date, 18 April 1950. The elevation of Kaduna to an Archdiocese was on 16 July 1959 and it’s second to Lagos and Onitsha Archdioceses. The Archdioceses of Abuja, Benin, Calabar, Ibadan,Jos, and Owerri were elevated to Archdioceses on the same date, 26 March 1994, and they are third in elevation after Lagos, Onitsha and Kaduna. The Catholic diocese of Katsina is the youngest diocese, created on 16 October, 2023.

The Ecclesiastical Province of Onitsha has the highest number of dioceses, that is, nine dioceses, which is seconded why the provinces of Abuja, Jos and Kaduna, with eight(8) dioceses each. The Province of Lagos has the lowest number of dioceses, that is, three(3) dioceses. The Province of Benin has six(6) dioceses, Calabar has five(5), Ibadan has six(6), while Owerri has six(6), thereby making it the total of 59 dioceses and one Eparchy in Nigeria.

An Eparchy in the Catholic parlance is a local church with an equivalence of a diocese, with it’s own bishop and geographical boundary.

Truth Series.

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